Webinars

Welcome to the E&T webinar programme

Our series of interactive webinars will enable you to stay abreast of the latest technology developments, whilst improving your knowledge across a host of engineering-related disciplines. Our free-to-attend webinars will put you directly in touch with industry experts; sharing their best practice to benefit your business.

Precision cleaning and the Trike sunset: the countdown has begun, what to know and do

Webinar overview

The clock is ticking for Trike; find out how to decide on the best replacement cleaning fluid in time for the upcoming ban which commences 21st April 2016. Trike users will need to seek alternative cleaning fluids for industrial and electronic appliances.

Smart materials

Webinar overview

This webinar introduces multiphysics simulation for modelling devices that contain smart materials. Smart materials are used in a variety of applications ranging from vibration and active shape control to structural health monitoring and energy harvesting. These materials are widely used in actuators and sensors for their ability to efficiently transduce one form of energy to another.

In this webinar, COMSOL will show how the modelling framework in COMSOL Multiphysics provides the key to simulating smart materials that exhibit piezoelectric, piezoresistive, magnetostrictive and shape memory effects using case studies.

About the speaker

Dr Robbie Balcombe graduated from Strathclyde University in 2007 with an MEng in Aero-Mechanical Engineering, and then carried out PhD research in the area of numerical modelling of rolling contact fatigue at Imperial College London in collaboration with SKF. He joined COMSOL as an application engineer in 2011 and is now a Technical Manager with the company.

Webinar overview

Want to bring your models closer to real world applications?

This free webinar focuses on the benefits of COMSOL tools and approaches for the effective simulation of photonic gratings and optical periodic structures with plasmonic and dielectric components.

Incorporating multiphysics effects that are likely to affect performance of photonic gratings, such as heating and mechanical loading, will be demonstrated. Such multiphysics analysis is proven to bring the modelling of gratings closer to real world applications.

About the speaker

Dr Alon Grinenko studied Electrical Engineering and Physics at Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. He then completed a postdoc in plasma physics at the University of Warwick and a postdoc in acoustics at the University of Bristol. He joined COMSOL as an applications engineer in July 2013.

Webinar overview

Become more productive in your day to day work

Join this live demonstration and Q&A to learn about the benefits of multiphysics simulation for modelling devices such as resistors, capacitors, insulation layers, electrostatic actuators, and resistive and capacitive sensors. Get top tips for modelling common multiphysics effects such as cooling air flow, thermal expansion, and Joule heating, in addition to the electromechanical couplings often observed in sensors and actuators.

About the speaker

Dr. Michael Wood is an applications engineer with COMSOL. He completed his PhD at the University of Manchester in Electrical and Electronic Engineering where he developed a methodology of temperature imaging using laser absorption tomography.

Modelling RF and microwave heating with COMSOL Multiphysics

Webinar overview

Become confident that your designs will work

Join this live demonstration and Q&A to learn how researchers and engineers across various industries are beating their design challenges by taking a cost-effective multiphysics approach when modelling RF and microwave heating applications.

About the speaker

Dr Alon Grinenko studied Electrical Engineering and Physics at Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. He then completed a postdoc in plasma physics at the University of Warwick and a postdoc in acoustics at the University of Bristol. He joined COMSOL as an applications engineer in July 2013.

How will system-level modeling help RoboThespian walk?

Webinar overview

Today’s engineers face a host of challenges. Not only does their design need to work, but it needs to meet high expectations in terms of development costs, safety and environmental standards and time to market. More and more, engineers are turning to physical modeling and system-level design as an efficient, effective means of achieving their goals.

Join this webinar to hear how the developers of RoboThespian are using system-level modeling to tackle the complex challenges inherent in developing a full-sized, dynamic humanoid robot. Find out more.

About the speakers

Guillaume Hirohide Sasagawa is an Engineer at Engineered Arts Ltd., working specifically on the “Byrun” project involving the design of a compliant, full-sized humanoid, walking/running robot.

Surak Perera is an Application Engineer at Maplesoft. For the past five years he has worked with industrial and academic partners in the field of computer algebra and modeling, along with simulation of physical systems using Maple and MapleSim.

Transformer and inductor modelling with COMSOL multiphysics

Webinar overview

This webinar will explore various approaches to transformer and inductor modelling and features a detailed step by step example how to model a transformer with COMSOL Multiphysics.

Learn what COMSOL Multiphysics is

Understand broadly why it is beneficial to take a multiphysics approach to simulation

How multiphysics simulation can be beneficial to transformer development

See how easy it is to model this application within COMSOL Multiphysics

Understand how this software can be used in your own projects

About the speaker

Dr Alon Grinenko studied Electrical Engineering and Physics at Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. He then completed a postdoc in plasma physics at the University of Warwick and a postdoc in acoustics at the University of Bristol. He joined COMSOL as an applications engineer in July 2013.

Exploring the eCall system and lab testing solutions

Webinar overview

Webinar participants will receive a global technical overview of eCall and learn how it should be tested to ensure devices or chipsets work properly in the new European framework.

The European Commission aims to have the new eCall initiative in place by 2015, which means vehicles will have devices that can dial for help automatically and send airbag, sensor and GPS information wirelessly to emergency agencies. Thanks to this gain in time, eCall is expected to save hundreds of lives in the EU each year.

The eCall project is supported by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

About the speakers

François Ortolan (above), Wireless Specialist at Anritsu UK, actively participated in the development of the eCall tester and has in-depth experience in R&D, live radio optimisation and UE testing.

Andy Rooke (left), Senior Project Manager, ERTICO. Andy served as a police officer in the UK for 31 years specialising in road policing and road death. He then joined Transport for London as a project delivering the CVIS London test site and the UK Technology Strategy Board project FREEFLOW. Andy now manages the ERTICO HeERO projects. The ERTICO Partners and ERTICO team work on a portfolio of activities to accelerate the development and deployment of ITS across Europe and beyond.

Thinking Outside the Patent Box

Webinar overview

With the new Patent Box tax relief scheme being introduced by the government in April 2013, this webinar is very timely. It will explain how the traditional role of patents will change under the new scheme and highlight the strategic issues that need to be considered.

Companies that develop products in the UK and obtain patent protection will enjoy a significant reduction in their corporation tax bill on profits derived from those products. The Patent Box scheme will enable patent holders to obtain value from their patents in an entirely new way. However, there are a number of strategic considerations to make to ensure that companies can benefit from the tax relief and to get the best value from the scheme.

5 key learning points you will take away from this webinar:

How to obtain tax relief from UK-based product development

How to use patents to reduce your corporation tax bill

How to manage a patent portfolio for best effect under the Patent Box scheme

Understand when patent protection is suitable

Understand the financial implications of obtaining a patent

About the speakers

David Wraige joined the patent profession in 2000 and Mintz Levin in 2012, having previously qualified as a European and Chartered Patent Attorney with another major London firm. He has considerable experience advising a diverse range of clients from start-ups to multinational corporations, enabling him to tailor his service to the needs of a particular client.

Laurence Bard is a corporate tax partner at Smith & Williamson, accountants and tax advisers. His main skill lies in creating tax opportunities for corporate clients, planning their tax strategies and negotiating successful results with H M Revenue & Customs. Within this broad ambit, he specialises in advising companies developing new products and services, and exploiting the fruits of their intellectual property. He is an expert in Research and Development tax credits, where he represents taxpayers on the Joint HMRC R&D Consultative Committee, and in the new field of the Patent Box.

This webinar will be briefly introduced by Adam Brown of Minesoft Patent Solutions, giving a short overview of patents and commercial patent databases that can assist engineers.

Standardising Embedded Software within Vehicle ECUs

Webinar overview

This webinar explains how the role of embedded software within vehicles has been increasing exponentially over the past 20 years, and how it has become necessary to standardise the software platform running within the electronic control units (ECUs).

Discover how the major vehicle manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers have formed the AUTOSAR consortium to standardise the embedded software functions and design methodology used within the vehicle.

A brief overview of Vector and a short history of their embedded software development for the networking of vehicle ECUs will also be covered. Finally explore how you can use AUTOSAR techniques to get your automotive application to market quicker using Vector’s MICROSAR software and DaVinci tools.

5 key learning points:

The role of embedded software within the vehicle.

How embedded software has grown alongside the new electronic features on the car.

The necessity to standardise the software functions and design methodologies.

The benefit that the AUTOSAR consortium has brought to the automotive industry.

How you can get customer features to market quicker using AUTOSAR software and tools.

About Vector

Vector works closely with all the vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier-1 suppliers in the Automotive Industry. They have nearly ten years’ experience within the AUTOSAR partnership and won the Premium Member Award in 2008.

With Vectors’ unique position in the marketplace, this webinar offers a unique insight in many of the challenges that have been faced and overcome by their customer in rolling out AUTOSAR solutions.

About the speaker

Steve Waldron, who will be delivering the webinar, is the Business Development Manager at Vector GB and is responsible for Vector’s Embedded Software Product Line within the UK and ROI. He has over 12 years’ experience of developing software tools, low-level drivers and embedded applications within automotive and off-highway industries.

Multiphysics Modelling of Sensors and Actuators

Webinar overview

This webinar will be presented by Oliver Lipscombe and will focus on the application of multiphysics modelling for the design and development of sensors and actuators. It will explore how to model and develop a wide range of devices using COMSOL Multiphysics, a solution designed for engineers to help realise their designs quickly and effectively, and reduce product lead-times and costs. As such it will appeal to technical and project managers as well as engineers, scientists and researchers working in this field.

Sensors and actuators are widely developed for use in many industrial applications, ranging from consumer products and vehicles to medical and drug delivery devices. Simulating these devices requires a multiphysics approach: most sensors and actuators utilize several coupled physical effects. For this reason, designers are using multiphysics-capable software to model thermal, electrical, structural, piezoelectric and microfluidic behaviour for most sensor applications.

About the speaker

Oliver Lipscombe graduated from a PhD in solid state physics at Bristol University and then carried out research in low temperature magnetism for three years, mostly in the USA. Oliver specialises in the electromagnetic modelling and heat transfer applications of COMSOL Multiphysics.

This webinar will be introduced by guest speaker Dr Andrew Fleming, a senior lecturer at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Newcastle, Australia.

Webinar overview

In this presentation, Heath Knakmuhs, Senior Director of Policy (Institute for 21st Century Energy -U.S. Chamber of Commerce) will discuss innovative energy technologies for a sustainable society.

Our current energy grid has many shortcomings; including conservation, outage management and integration of intermittent energy resources, as well as security threats and cyber protection. These factors all impact the design and development of products that look to maximize energy efficiency-focused technologies and properly manage power supply. With this in mind, Heath will explore the paradigm shift needed for technological breakthrough leading to smarter transmission strategies, increased automation, balancing generation and load with off-peak storage and large-scale battery storage.

Inspec: Great Minds On Innovation Featuring Dean Kamen

Webinar overview

This webinar offers some unique insight into the world of renowned design engineer Dean Kamen.

Kamen offers perspective on product innovation and automation advancements, drawing from his own personal experiences that range from life-changing medical inventions to the development of portable water purifications systems that could save millions of lives around the globe.

Perhaps best known for founding FIRST, an organization focused on inspiring young peoples’ interest and participation in science and technology through robotics competitions and other initiatives, Kamen was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997, received the National Medal of Technology from President Clinton in 2000 and was awarded the Global Humanitarian Action Award from the United Nations in 2006.

He is one of the most innovative thinkers and problem-solvers of our generation.

Webinar overview

In this presentation, neuroscientist, Professor Edward S. Boyden of the world renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will discuss his ground breaking inventions and breakthroughs in medical engineering.

He is the principal investigator at the Synthetic Neurobiology Group at MIT, which develops tools for controlling and observing the dynamic circuits of the brain. He uses these neurotechnologies to understand how cognition and emotion arise from brain network operation, as well as to enable repair of brain disorders.

Boyden is also the inaugural recipient of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) A F Harvey Engineering Research Prize. Worth £300,000, it is awarded in recognition of his outstanding contributions to research in medical engineering.

Heat Transfer Simulations with COMSOL Multiphysics

Webinar overview

Heat transfer is a central phenomenon to many engineering and scientific systems, both in managing heating applications in their own right, and in conjunction with other physical effects. This webinar will examine the use of COMSOL Multiphysics in the simulation of heat conduction, convection and radiation and then examine the coupling of heat transfer to other physics, such as electrical heating, fluid cooling, and thermal stress. We will conclude with a worked example to demonstrate the setting up and solving of a heat transfer model.

The event will cover both analytical and experimental topics with real case scenarios which will help to increase the basic understanding of transfer processes and the modelling of, in various applications and engineering problems. If you are a research worker or engineer you will find this event invaluable.

About the speaker

Edmund Dickinson studied chemistry at the University of Oxford from 2004 to 2008. He then moved on to a doctorate at Oxford, researching the charge and mass transfer properties of electrolyte solutions. He joined COMSOL as an application engineer in January 2012, specialising in chemistry, heat transfer and fluid flow.

How simulating physical behaviour can help you

Webinar overview

Leading engineers are already using multiphysic modelling techniques to simulate physical behaviour, long before investing valuable resources into developing traditional single-physic prototype models.

Don’t be left behind! Attend this E&T webinar to find out how to save your company time, money and valuable R&D resources by using multiphysics to verify and optimise computer models of new products before developing any physical prototypes.

About the speaker

Keith Howard is a Chartered Engineer who has spent 30 years in the scientific and engineering software industry. He has worked with a broad range of customers from many industries, helping them to determine improved processes for research, design and development and implementing appropriate software solutions. He is currently Managing Director of COMSOL's UK office.